Thrifting with the Rural Squirrel

I don't usually go to the Goodwill Outlet on Saturdays. It's crowded and busy and just a little crazier than normal for me. But, this weekend, I had some time to go, so I did. And good thing too! There were SOOO many very nice things today! Some days, it seems like I find more of one item than another. Some days are a snow pants day, some are a hat day, some are big-time clothes days, but this time, it was definitely a SHOE day!! There are several ladies that are there every weekday that focus on shoes! They buy LOTS of them and they work for a international non-profit based in Africa that gets shoes to the people there. I like the ladies and I think that they're doing good work! BUT, when they're there, it's harder to get a ton of good shoes. Today, I found 2 pairs of Patagonia shoes, some Elie Tahari wedges, some gorgeous  gold Tory Burch heels, some Ivanka Trump tall boots, some Brighton sandals, and a bunch of single shoes that I never found the mates too. Tha

Friday's are another big "work day" for me. A friend of mine calls it pay-day because I take many of my nicest cast-aways to the consignment shops. Right now, I have about 6-8 consignment shops that I take things to and all have a slightly different demographic so if I find nice, quality clothes or goodies, I have a good place to take them. Now, I realize that living in Denver area, I have more options that other locations. I mean, my mom, in Central Illinois only has about 2 or 3 places that she can consign and has to drive quite a ways to get to them. I'm very lucky, and grateful, to be able to go to some very nice consignment shops locally. A lot of you have probably got a Plato's Closet near you, or have heard about the place. There have been lots of on-line articles that talk about taking your clothes there to make a few bucks. I do take a few things there, but it's usually my last stop. They are a great place to sell your Old Navy, Forever 21, and H&

Although I do love going to the thrift stores, I don't go everyday, but I'm still washing and cleaning and getting some of my treasures ready for my family, selling online, and taking to area consignment shops. I don't always find some big-time bargains, but I do find lots of things that need to find new homes. Here are some of them that found on Monday: So, they're all good finds even if they aren't the lost Dead Sea Scrolls. A couple of them are already on their way to new homes. How exciting! I feel like I've saved them from the chopping block. But check out these ABSOLUTELY 80s necklaces that I picked up!! They were all in one big snagged-up cluster when I found them and HAD to have them because I had some just like them in junior high!! AAAHHHHH!!! So cool!! And will a little (ok, a lot) of detangling and reorganizing the clips, They turned out TOTALY AWESOME!! I told you that I like the Thrift Shops but that I like finding bargains at the ma

Going to the Goodwill Outlet is different than most other thrifting experiences. In the retail world, you shop in a regular store with sections and departments and things hung on racks and shoes paired up and on a shelf. Not in the Outlet World! It's more like walking into a teenage boys room with clothes everywhere, a single shoe with no match to be found, maybe even some tools or some school supplies sprinkled in. At the Outlet, you can get a terrific bargain, but you really have to work for it! The merchandise comes out of the sorting room in back, in big bins on wheels. I sometimes call them "junk buckets" or "troughs". There is no major organization to the bins other than to be sorted by wares, clothes, or shoes. Some locations sort out their glassware, but not all. Otherwise, the treasures are just piled in the bins and you have to sort through and untangle the items you want. When the new bins come out, they call it a "rotation" and the only w

I grew up with a family that was full of collectors and artists and probably caught the bug from them! My mom is an  incredible seamstress, my grandma was an amazing china painter, my aunt made a living as a fabulous florist, and another aunt has always been the queen of thrifting and bargain hunting, and my dad has built whole houses out of repurposed and recycled supplies! I've learned a lot of trade secrets from these wonderful people and I will introduce you to them more as the adventure continues. Early in my married life (to the best hubs in the world), he supported my thriftiness and we decorated our homes with everything from old quilts and cast-away Mason jars. Back then, they called it a "country decor", but we just called it "making do"! As our girls grew up with me scouring the bargain racks at the trendy shops ($.97 sweaters and jeans from Old Navy and Justice) and then, I would throw those outgrown itmes in buckets, labelled by size, into the a